Shoulder strap for musical instruments



April 21, 1964 I R. G. HAUGEN ETAL SHOULDER STRAP FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed April 6, 1962 INVENTORS ease/v AWZ/GE'M Mag/{45A 14 #01. T2,

United States Patent 3,129,863 SHOULDER STRAP FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Ruben G. Haugen, 8019 W. 26th St., Minneapolis, Minn., and Michael W. Holtz, Box 153, Galva, Iowa Filed Apr. 6, 1962, Ser. No. 185,574 4 Claims. (Cl. 224-) This invention relates to a novel shoulder strap for musical instruments, especially but not exclusively for use with Saxophones, bassoons, and bass clarinets.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a more comfortable and efficient device of the kind indicated, which designedly avoids the restrictive pressures on mucles, nerves, and cervical vertebrae, such as are incidental to the use of present neck straps, and which adversely affect freedom of and control of breathing and the freedom of movement and endurance of the musician, and hence, the production of wanted tones. This object is attained by means of a strap assembly which embraces a shoulder of the musician whereby the weight of the instrument is suspended from the shoulder, at a substantial distance from the neck area.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple, comfortable, and easily adjusted device of the character indicated above, which comprises a single flexible strap having a shoulder embracing structure, intermediate its ends, flights which bear against the back, the side of the body remote from the said shoulder, and part of the front of the body, and has free ends, separably and adjustably connected together, and an instrument securing member which is adjustably positioned on the strap, whereby, when the device is properly adjusted for the musicians size and the particular instrument in use, greater mobility of the instrument, relative to the musician, is afforded, in a manner to reduce strain upon the lips and teeth of the musician.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a bass saxophone suspended from a shoulder of a seated musician by a device of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the device per se;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view, on an enlarged scale, of the device;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing incorporation in the device of a different form of instrument securing means;

FIGURE 6 is a view like FIGURE 1, showing another position of the shoulder strap.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like and related numerals designate like and related parts throughout the several views, and first to FIGURES 1 through 4. The illustrated device, generally designated 10 comprises a single elongated flexible flat strap 12, composed of substantially similar flights 14 and 16. The flight 14 has a buckle 18, secured on its free outer end, and has a bevel 20 on its other inner end. The flight 16 has a pointed free outer end 22, adapted to be engaged through the buckle 18, and is provided with a line of adjustment holes 24 to selectively receive the tongue 26 of the buckle. The flight 16 is provided with a second line of adjustment holes 27, spaced inwardly from the holes 24. The other inner end of the flight 16 is bevelled, as indicated at 28.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the inward end portions of the strap flights 14 and 16 are formed into shoulder embracing loops 30 and 32, respectively, which are spaced laterally from each other and disposed at acute angles to each other, with their inner bevelled ends 20 and 28, respectively, flush with the remote edges 34 of the flights. Suitable securing means, such as securings 36, secure the inner ends of the loops 30 and 32 flatwise to the surfaces of the flights 14 and 16, at points intermediate the ends of the flights.

Instrument securing means, generally designated 38, is secured to the flight 16, substantially midway between the loop 30 and the adjustment holes 27 and comprises, as shown in detail in FIGURE 4, a flat plate 40 which slides on the front surface of the flight 16, and has transversely elongated rectangular lateral eyes 42, on its opposite ends, which reach rearwardly from the plate 40 and receive the flight 16 therethrough. A centered rearwardly extending pin 44, is fixed on the plate 40, and is engageable in a selected one of the adjustment holes 27 for holding the device 38 securely in adjusted position along the flight 16. A loop 46 centered on and projecting forwardly from the plate 40, provides for swivel connection to the plate of a snap hook 48, which is adapted to be snapped through a loop (not shown) on such as a bass saxophone 50.

If desired, another form of instrument securing device, shown in FIGURE 5, and generally designated 38*, can be substituted for that described above. The device 38 comprises an endless thong 52 which is trained through two longitudinally spaced holes 54, formed through the strap flight 16, so that the front flight 56 of the thong extends loosely along the front surface of the strap flight 16. A loop 58 is formed in the front flight 56 of the thong and is passed forwardly through a ring 60, and the bight 62 of the thong loop 58 is passed through the attaching eye 62 of a swivel snap hook 48 With this arrangement, adjustment of the snap hook 48 lengthwise of the strap flight 16 is accomplished simply by forcibly pulling the snap hook lengthwise of the strap flight, in the coure of which the thong loop 58 slides through the attaching eye 62, until the desired position of the snap hook is obtained. Because of the tortuous passage of the thong loop 58 through the snap hook eye 62, and the resultant frictional engagements thereof, the new position of the snap hook is maintained.

In use, preferably for seated playing of an associated instrument, the shoulder engaging loop 32 is placed across the top of the shoulder S of a musician M, and the shoulder engaging loop 30 placed against the side of the shoulder S, at a point below the loop 32, whereat the flights 14 and 16 are brought across to the opposite side of the body B of the musician, across said opposite side, and then connected together by means of the buckle 18. This places the rear strap flight 30 against the back of the musicians body and across the side of the body remote from the shoulder S, and leaves the front flight 16 free to bear against the front of the body. The instrument 60 is to be held forwardly and upwardly from the front of the body, at the option of the musician, without dislodging the grip of the loops 30 and 32 on the shoulder S, while the instrument 50 is held in the hands, so that the principal weight of the instrument is always imposed on the shoulder S.

For standing or marching playing of the instrument, the strap is preferably arranged and adjusted, as shown in FIGURE 6, so that the strap which is disposed beneath the left arm, as shown in FIGURE 1, is placed instead, over the left arm, at a location about three inches below the left shoulder, whereby great stability and even distribution of the weight of the instrument is obtained.

Although there has been shown and described preferred forms of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structures of and in the relative arrangements of components there are contemplated as being Within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A strap for musical instruments adapted to place the weight of the instrument on the outer shoulder area and upper arm area of the wearer, the strap comprising:

(a) a front flight having a free outer end and an opposite inner end;

(b) a rear flight having a free outer end and an opposite inner end;

() adjustable buckle means releasably securing the free outer ends of the front and rear flights to one another;

(d) means securing the inner end of the front flight to the rear flight intermediate the ends of the latter whereby an outer shoulder loop is provided;

(e) means securing the inner end of the rear flight to the front flight intermediate the ends of the latter whereby an upper arm loop is provided; and

(f) instrument securing means secured to the front flight intermediate its ends.

2. A strap as defined in claim 1 wherein:

(a) the instrument securing means is adjustable.

3. A strap as defined in claim 2, wherein:

(a) the front flight has a series of adjustment holes formed therein and extending therethrough;

(b) the instrument securing means comprising a plate engaged with the front flight and having spaced, rearwardly extending eyes engaged with a selected pair of said adjustment holes;

(c) the plate having a rearwardly extending pin engaged with one of said holes between said selected pair; and

(d) a forwardly extending loop on the plate.

4. A strap as defined in claim 2, wherein:

(a) the front flight has a pair of longitudinally spaced holes formed therein and extending therethrough;

(b) an endless thong trained slidably through the holes;

(c) the thong having a forwardly extending loop with a bight;

(d) a ring through which the thong loop is forwardly engaged; and

(e) a snap hook having an attaching eye engaged with the bight of the thong loop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,298,694 Haislip Oct. 13, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 237,107 Switzerland July 13, 1945 

1. A STRAP FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS ADAPTED TO PLACE THE WEIGHT OF THE INSTRUMENT ON THE OUTER SHOULDER AREA AND UPPER ARM AREA OF THE WEARER, THE STRAP COMPRISING: (A) A FRONT FLIGHT HAVING A FREE OUTER END AND AN OPPOSITE INNER END; (B) A REAR FLIGHT HAVING A FREE OUTER END AND AN OPPOSITE INNER END; (C) ADJUSTABLE BUCKLE MEANS RELEASABLY SECURING THE FREE OUTER ENDS OF THE FRONT AND REAR FLIGHTS TO ONE ANOTHER; (D) MEANS SECURING THE INNER END OF THE FRONT FLIGHT TO THE REAR FLIGHT INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF THE LATTER WHEREBY AN OUTER SHOULDER LOOP IS PROVIDED; (E) MEANS SECURING THE INNER END OF THE REAR FLIGHT TO THE FRONT FLIGHT INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF THE LATTER WHEREBY AN UPPER ARM LOOP IS PROVIDED; AND (F) INSTRUMENT SECURING MEANS SECURED TO THE FRONT FLIGHT INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS. 